Hello Wonderful Russian Tortoises and Friends

[SarahChelonoidis]

How is her mobility? Is she walking tall or does she drag her back legs occasionally? Getting exercise is another important part of tortoise rehab - I would be working on a much larger enclosure for her if you are not already doing so. Russians are a very active tortoise and need a lot of space to move around. Some people build multiple story tortoise enclosures if they don't have a lot of floor space to offer. If she is mobile, she will appreciate having more room. It will also help you keep her food and water dishes clean - when they are in tiny enclosures they seem to get substrate everywhere, but when there is enough room they don't have to continually walk through their dishes.

 

[JoesMum]

..., but when there is enough room they don't have to continually walk through their dishes.

They don't have to... but they won't walk round anything. Positioning is everything!

 

[DangerKittyx3]

This is what torts like to do....sometimes to regulate body temps or for security....
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/spuds-daily-posts.122902/page-14#post-1303224

Nice pic. Donatella loves to make tunnels. She has access to basking light to regulate her temperature. When she is too warm a goes to her nest.

 

[DangerKittyx3]

How is her mobility? Is she walking tall or does she drag her back legs occasionally? Getting exercise is another important part of tortoise rehab - I would be working on a much larger enclosure for her if you are not already doing so. Russians are a very active tortoise and need a lot of space to move around. Some people build multiple story tortoise enclosures if they don't have a lot of floor space to offer. If she is mobile, she will appreciate having more room. It will also help you keep her food and water dishes clean - when they are in tiny enclosures they seem to get substrate everywhere, but when there is enough room they don't have to continually walk through their dishes.

They don't seem to have much out there for an enclosure that is already made. I bought her house for $150.00 because she really needed it at the time. I bought it at the same place I took her for her beak trimming. They also sell another one that is meant for outside. Now that the weather is getting nicer and I will have access to outside I will build something bigger for her.

 

[DangerKittyx3]

How is her mobility? Is she walking tall or does she drag her back legs occasionally? Getting exercise is another important part of tortoise rehab - I would be working on a much larger enclosure for her if you are not already doing so. Russians are a very active tortoise and need a lot of space to move around. Some people build multiple story tortoise enclosures if they don't have a lot of floor space to offer. If she is mobile, she will appreciate having more room. It will also help you keep her food and water dishes clean - when they are in tiny enclosures they seem to get substrate everywhere, but when there is enough room they don't have to continually walk through their dishes.

Her mobility is better. She doesn't drag her head anymore. She is lifting her head much much more and I can see the hydration in her eyes now. The first month of having her I would give her a soaking and a scrubbing on her shell almost daily to get her back to life. She is most active in the water. It is such a major improvement now. I soak her 3 times a week and give her alot of water directly to her mouth. She likes filtered water, not the soaking water.

 

[DangerKittyx3]

I am from rainy Oregon. I am curious how big your girl is. Mine is only 1 year old and she is About 4.5" long.

My female is about 8" long

 

[DangerKittyx3]

WELCOME TO THE FORUM!

thank you

 

[Lyn W]

Her mobility is better. She doesn't drag her head anymore. She is lifting her head much much more and I can see the hydration in her eyes now. The first month of having her I would give her a soaking and a scrubbing on her shell almost daily to get her back to life. She is most active in the water. It is such a major improvement now. I soak her 3 times a week and give her alot of water directly to her mouth. She likes filtered water, not the soaking water.

You really should be encouraging your tortoise to be independent of you. What will happen to it if you can not be there to feed it or give it water? Please read the caresheet - for your torts sake.

 

[DangerKittyx3]

Well obviously I will be getting her to be independent of me. Eventually I will see her get hydrated and gain some more weight. Tortoises that are healthy can fend for themselves, but she is not strong enough and needs TLC.

 

[DangerKittyx3]

Im glad you are able to give her a better home ! She must be very happy now.
Using hay as substrate isnt recommended cause is molds when you spray it often (for humidity). There are different types of mulch beddings that you can use that holds moisture well and doesnt mold though. I dont remember but im sure someone with more experience can let you know. The soil is kind of messy, its true. My tortoises havent gotten them in their eyes though. So lucky me.
With the green beans, if you could really mix the green beans with other veggies, it would be good for her. That way when she eats the green beans, she might accidentally bite some of the other veggies & get nutrients from those too. And who knows, she might have a new favorite !

Think of it like your fingernails. They keep growing no matter what. When they get too long they either break off (which would be very painful for a tortoise's beak) or you clip them. They don't shorten up by themselves, and neither will the tortoise's beak. An overgrown beak makes it hard for the tortoise to eat.

She already had her beak trimmed otherwise would have gotten a better before pic of how long it was
Donatella before

Donatella after

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Things in nature aren't soft .
Rough surfaces trim nails and beaks.
I feed mine primarily on overturned 20" Tera Cota tiles.
There are also areas that have exposed flat cement sections.

 

[DangerKittyx3]

Things in nature aren't soft .
Rough surfaces trim nails and beaks.
I feed mine primarily on overturned 20" Tera Cota tiles.
There are also areas that have exposed flat cement sections.

I love your tortoises. They are so cute!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I love your tortoises. They are so cute!

Thanks.

 

[DangerKittyx3]

Thanks.

Donatella will have a better home soon. When the summer comes I plan on building her a two story home.

 

[DangerKittyx3]

How is her mobility? Is she walking tall or does she drag her back legs occasionally? Getting exercise is another important part of tortoise rehab - I would be working on a much larger enclosure for her if you are not already doing so. Russians are a very active tortoise and need a lot of space to move around. Some people build multiple story tortoise enclosures if they don't have a lot of floor space to offer. If she is mobile, she will appreciate having more room. It will also help you keep her food and water dishes clean - when they are in tiny enclosures they seem to get substrate everywhere, but when there is enough room they don't have to continually walk through their dishes

I want to build her multiple story enclosures. we also bought a house thats meant for outdoors. still havent assembled it yet because its still like winter out there. donatella is looking forward to the summer. thanks for your suggestions. I'm going to do the best I can so she could be really happy with it. She has about 2x3 and she really just sits there. i want her to have a nest where she can make all her tunnels, a second floor swimming pool, and a third floor sunroof. I'm talking about all this with my husband and he is going to help me when the weather gets warmer. she will be so happy